Applications:
L-Glutamine is an essential amino acid required by virtually all mammalian and insect cells grown in culture.

L-Glutamine is also more labile in cell culture solutions than other amino acids. The rate and extent of L-glutamine degradation are related to storage temperatures, age of the product, and pH.

All cell culture media are formulated to contain appropriate amounts of L-glutamine to support cell growth well beyond the expiration date of the media. However, if L-glutamine is suspected to be a limiting factor during cell culture, a simple test of 'spiking' the medium with a small amount of L-glutamine will determine whether or not more is required. Simply add a small amount of L-glutamine (~ 2 mM final concentration) to the culture medium. If the cell growth rate increases, L-glutamine is most likely deficient and more should be added.

Added as a supplement to cell culture media. L-Glutamine is an essential amino acid required by virtually all mammalian and insect cells grown in culture. L-Glutamine is also more labile in cell culture solutions than other amino acids. The rate and extent of L-glutamine degradation are related to storage temperatures, age of the product, and pH.

Note: L-glutamine degradation results in the build-up of ammonia which can have a deleterious effect on some cell lines. Use caution when adding more L-glutamine than called for in the original medium formulation (2 to 4 mM is standard). For most cell lines, ammonia toxicity is more critical for cell viability than L-glutamine limitation.